Chapter Seventeen

The sun had crested the horizon some time ago when Bryant woke with his hair sticking out at odd angles and little crusty things having formed at the corners of his eyes. When Pa was on patrol he slept in, knowing he'd never get the chance otherwise. He stretched and gave a big yawn only to have a dirty sock shoved into his gaping maw by his ever irritating brother.

"Bryant! Your breath stinks like the south end of a north facing mule," griped Cabot. "Quit breathing on me, you pig."

Bryant yanked the disgusting sock from his mouth and gagged, nearly vomiting and choking at the same time. "At least with me, it's just my breath. You stink all over."

Cabot responded by punching Bryant in the shoulder. Hard.

"That's it! When Pa gets back from patrol, I'm telling him about this."

But Cabot didn't hear, or at least was too distracted by the sudden commotion originating from the center of the camp to comment. "Come on. Let's see what's going on." He grabbed Bryant by the wrist and pulled him along. Together they wormed their way through the crowd with Bryant wishing all the while he was still fast asleep.

Both of them drew up when Rusk's voice boomed over the assembly.

"Caddo has brought calamity upon our clan. There is a Speck into our midst and Caddo did this to us. A Speck! Caddo knows our laws. He knows what the Mandu have commanded. But he has chosen to ignore everything and risk further endangering each and every one of us." Rusk had worked himself into a lather. "To make matters worse, he's traded away our reserve of crystals! We got nothing left and nothing to trade."

There were murmurs and dark looks from the crowd, fueling the rage simmering in Rusk.

"The Mandu have decreed all Specks are to be offered as a sacrifice and yet Caddo thinks himself above the law. Is Caddo above the law?" he shouted.

"No!" cried out several voices in the crowd.

"Is Caddo more powerful than the Mandu?"

"No!" Even more voices joined in.

"Is Caddo wiser that the Mandu?

"No!"

"Is the safety of your family, of your children, and of our clan, more important than this worthless Speck?"

This time, all joined together with a shout. "No!"

"Then this Speck, like all others before him, must be submitted for judgment to appease the wrath of the Visitors. We must protect our clan and obey the Mandu!"

Shouts rang out through the camp, some with anger at Caddo, others filled with fear at the thought of retribution from the Mandu for harboring a Speck. Rusk had worked the crown into a rabid frenzy, one mere step above a mob. He fanned the flames of fear into a raging fire.

Bryant scanned the angry faces, hoping to hear someone--anyone--speak up in Wyatt's defense. But nothing other than the voices of fear and hostility surged through the crowd as Rusk yanked the bedraggled Speck by a leather thong tied around his neck. He watched, trembling in resentment and frustration as Wyatt stumbled along behind Rusk. They headed north, away from the caravan.

"That Speck won't survive the day," said Cabot leaning in close.

"It ain't right. Wyatt hasn't done anything to anybody! He doesn't deserve this." Bryant felt his own anger growing inside.

He darted back to their cart and rooted through the tiny stash of belongings he kept stored away. Somewhere buried inside was the knife Pa had given him two years earlier, the one he had carried for months strapped to his waist before realizing no one was impressed. There it was! He slipped it inside his belt, grabbed a skin of water hanging from the cart and turned to follow Rusk.

"What do you think you're doing?" It was Cabot, his arms folded across his chest and a patronizing look on his face.

"Leave me alone Cabot." Bryant pushed past him. "I'm not gonna let Wyatt die."

"Ha! You stupid little baby. What are you gonna do? Fight Rusk?"

Bryant paused and turned to face his brother. "No. I'm gonna do something you'd never do. I'm gonna help Wyatt live."

He dashed away leaving Cabot flummoxed and speechless.

Bryant followed the trail for hours, deeper and deeper into the wilds and far away from Cabot and Pa before realizing Rusk would be returning at some point and was sure to return to the caravan following the same path. With no logical explanation to offer if he were caught meandering around the Wastelands, he decided it would be a good idea to hide until Rusk passed through. Several decrepit and dilapidated buildings stood nearby and he chose one at random.

Inside the building, a thick layer of dust covered everything. Ancient furniture littered the floor, most of it still in sound condition in spite of the age. He remembered something he had heard Caddo say about water being the enemy of wood and metal. There certainly wasn't any water to speak of in the Wastelands and none of it made any sense to Bryant. How could water ruin wood or even steel? It was just another of the crazy things Caddo was always dreaming up.

Everything had been picked over, of course. Centuries of scavengers had collected anything of value. A battered steel door stood ajar next to a grimy table. Behind the door was a tiny alcove that led to a staircase heading down into darkness. A lump formed in Bryant's throat as he peered into the void, knowing it was teeming with vile creatures waiting to rip him limb from limb.

Noise! It was Rusk, shuffling down the trail and cursing under his breath. He wasn't even bothering to hide his passing for he had no idea Bryant was lurking inside the building. That was too close! I gotta start thinking things through a little better.

Bryant moved deeper into the shadows behind the door but through the opening he could still watch Rusk walking south toward the caravan. He held his breath, afraid Rusk might somehow hear him and drag him back to the caravan for punishment. And of course, he further feared the demons in the black void below, scuttling about as they prepared for their feast.

He waited for several minutes before creeping from the tiny room, confident Rusk had moved on.

The sun was heading toward the horizon with a rapidity greater than he had ever before seen and he realized with a sinking feeling the predicament in which he had placed himself. The sun's not setting faster stupid. You just discovered you're gonna be out here all alone without Pa. Well, not all alone. There was always Wyatt, if he were lucky--and could find him. Oh yeah, there was also the zelinx if he were not so lucky.

As long as the light held, he would be able to follow the trail. It's not like there's much else out here to make tracks. Except, of course, a zelinx. He hated when he had thoughts like that. Why? I ain't no baby so why do I have to keep thinking about them? He had no answer for his own question, unable to fathom why he kept dwelling on thoughts guaranteed to frighten him. But the prospect of being anywhere in the same proximity as one of those monsters caused him to break into a run.

The shadows merged together as the sun slipped away leaving the barren landscape treacherous and scary. Worse, he could no longer see the tracks.

"Wyatt? Can you hear me? Where are you?"

He paused and listened, straining to hear. There was utter silence.

Think Bryant! Rusk left the roadway and headed west. Wouldn't he keep going this way? He wouldn't have veered away from the road unless he had a location in mind to leave Wyatt. Would he? He thought about that last question and hoped he wasn't fooling himself.

He paused and cupped his hands to his mouth. "Are you out there? Wyatt?"

There! He heard a faint noise coming from straight ahead. He hoped it was Wyatt and not some horrible alien creature that feasted on young boys. It had to be. He rushed through the night as fast as he dared, not wanting to fall or trip. Breaking a leg out here would be a miserable way to die.

And then there he was. Rusk had staked him to the ground, spread eagled, helpless, and alone.

"Wyatt! I found you." Take that Cabot. Who is the baby now?

"Bryant? What are you doing here?" Wyatt was frantic. "Don't you know what's coming for me? Rusk said this is a feeding spot for the zelinx, you gotta get away!" Kneeling beside him, Bryant pulled out the knife and slit the leather thongs tying Wyatt to the four stakes. "I couldn't stand it," he said. "I couldn't stand the thought of what Rusk was doing to you."

Wyatt sat cross legged in the dirt, rubbing his wrists where the leather had chafed. He gazed up at the evening sky as though looking for something from above. "We gotta hide. You hear me? We gotta find someplace to hide. And soon."

Bryant nodded but before he could answer, an eerie shriek echoed through the night air.

Their earlier tension now blossomed into full blown terror.

"Bryant, we need to hide now. You know these lands, is there a cave or something? If we don't get out of sight, we're dead!"

"Cave? There's no caves." Fear began to paralyze him. What am I doing out here? Who did I think I was fooling?

Whoa! They're in for it now! Be sure to let me know if you think they're gonna make it. And please remember to vote!!!